Game Day preview: Up next for the slumping Oregon women is No. 7 Utah

Chris Hansen, Register-Guard
·2 min read
Oregon forward Grace VanSlooten struggles for control of the ball as the Oregon Ducks host the Colorado Buffaloes Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon forward Grace VanSlooten struggles for control of the ball as the Oregon Ducks host the Colorado Buffaloes Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore.

Oregon Ducks women’s basketball

Oregon (14-8, 5-6 Pac-12) vs. No. 7 Utah (19-2, 9-2)

2 p.m., Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena

TV: Pac-12 Networks

Radio: KUGN-FM (98.1), KUGN-AM (590)

About the Ducks

  • Oregon has lost four of its last five games — and five of its last seven —by an average of 5.5 points. The Ducks are frustrated, coach Kelly Graves said after Friday’s loss at home to Colorado, especially with how their offense has performed recently. Oregon has shot 29.6% from the field (40-for-135) in its last two games and 15.4% from 3-point range (8-for-52) in its last three games, including an 0-for-16 night against the Buffaloes.

  • The Ducks will need to get that offense figured out if it expects to keep pace with Utah, which has the No. 1 scoring offense in the Pac-12 with an average of 84.1 points per game and an average scoring margin of 21.2 points.

  • This will be the Ducks seventh game of the season against a team ranked in the Associated Press top 25. They’re 1-5 in those games with the only win coming against then-No. 17 Arkansas in December. Oregon has faced three ranked Pac-12 teams and lost by eight points to each — 62-54 to then-No. 3 Stanford, 82-74 to then-No. 10 UCLA and 79-71 to then-No. 15 Arizona.

About the Utes

  • Utah’s only two losses came on the road against Stanford and Colorado and though the Utes have won four straight, their last two games have been nail biters. Last Sunday they overcame an eight-point deficit in the final six minutes to beat UCLA 71-69. Friday in Corvallis, they outlasted Oregon State in overtime, 75-73.

  • Forward Alissa Pili, a transfer from USC, is the Pac-12’s leading scorer at 20.4 points per game and is making a remarkable 60.4% of her shots (172-for-285).

Statistical comparisons

  • Scoring average: Oregon, 77.5; Utah, 84.1

  • Opp. scoring average: Oregon, 63.4; Utah, 62.9

  • FG percentage: Oregon, 43.7%; Utah, 48.6%

  • Opp. FG percentage: Oregon, 38.8%; Utah, 39.8%

  • 3-point FG percentage: Oregon, 35.7%; Utah, 34.5%

  • 3-point FG per game: Oregon, 7.9; Utah, 8.3

  • FT percentage: Oregon, 71.4%; Utah, 78.4%

  • Rebounds per game: Oregon, 43.0; Utah, 38.0

  • Rebounding margin: Oregon, +7.4 Utah, +7.1

  • Assists per game: Oregon, 16.7; Utah, 18.0

  • Turnovers per game: Oregon, 12.0; Utah, 14.7

  • Steals per game: Oregon, 7.5; Utah, 7.9

  • Blocks per game: Oregon, 3.8; Utah, 3.7

Follow Chris Hansen on Twitter @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com. 

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This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: What to know before Oregon Ducks tipoff against No. 7 Utah